1. Field of the Invention
Molecular Gas Detector and Analyzer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, detection and identification of an unknown substance not common to the ambient atmosphere has been attained either by chemical means or by the use or spectroscopes and the like that are not only expensive, but time consuming to use, and require the services of highly skilled personnel.
A major object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is compact, may be portable or stationary, is simple and easy to use, detects and identifies an unknown substance by utilizing the unbalanced molecular characteristics thereof that exist at the interface of the unknown substance with the ambient atmosphere, and the unbalanced molecular characteristic being specific and unique for one substance only.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which a stream of air is directed over the surface of the unknown substance, if the latter is a liquid or solid, or mixed with a substance if the substance is a gas, with the stream of air after being exposed to the unknown substance being pressurized and directed onto a piezoelectric element in a confined space where molecules of the unknown substance collect on the surface of the piezoelectric element and subject the latter to mechanical pulses that result in pulses of electric energy being emitted therefrom that are subsequently amplified and fed back to the piezoelectric element for the latter to regenerate an electric signal of sufficient magnitude to be registerable on an oscilloscope or a recording read out.
A further object of the invention is to supply an apparatus in which a visual or printed pattern is obtained of an unknown substance, which pattern is unique and specific to that substance alone, and permits the identification of the unknown substance by comparing the pattern obtained with the patterns of substances the identities of which are known.
A still further object of the invention is to supply an apparatus in which the molecular activity of a substance at the interface of the ambient atmosphere may be studied in detail by obtaining a visual or printed pattern thereof, and a pattern capable of being modified to various levels by settings on the apparatus to demonstrate frequency bands, phase shifts, pulse frequencies, cross over modes, total harmonics, and overtones and the like.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof, of first and second forms and the method of using the apparatus to obtain the results of which it is capable.